TODAY'S WEDDINGS: THE ETIQUETTE OF GIFT GIVING

Here are the do's and don'ts of gift giving for weddings.

Author:
Alexandra Corey

Published:
11:24 AM CDT August 30, 2017

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Finding the perfect gift is never easy and that stress is amplified when it comes to wedding gifts. As we continue our wedding series of the "I do's and don'ts" of today’s weddings, we sit down with the editor of St. Louis Bride magazine who sets the record straight when it comes to gift giving.

When it comes to wedding gifts, there are so many so called "written rules" floating around out there.

"The gift is really up to the giver," explained Nancy Slade.

In order to understand the etiquette of gift giving, we enlisted the help of Nancy Slade, editor of St. Louis Bride magazine.

Slade says, "As far as etiquette goes, there’s really no hard fast set rules on how much cash or how big or small a gift, because it is ultimately from the heart."

That being said, Slade does recommend a few things when it comes to purchasing that perfect present.

"It's totally okay for a guest to grab something off a registry, to give cash, or to give an experience," she said.

If you want to ‘go off the grid,’ as Slade calls it, make sure to get personal.

"Try to get a feel of the couple before giving them a gift because you want the gift to match the couple," she explained.

When it comes to how much cash your expected to give, Slade says there's no expectation.

"There's no magic formula," she said.

It’s important to remember that the etiquette goes both ways.

Slade explained, "A registry is a suggestion to your friends and family of what you may like. So, while a couple could register for some type of destination or they could register for something that’s relative to receiving funds to help get them somewhere, the couple should not rely on a registry to pay for their honeymoon."

Slade also recommends that guests ship their gifts to the couple’s home. That way they don’t have to worry about transporting gifts after their big day.